Ramen Soup w/ Ham | Ponyo

                    We super love Studio Ghibli films in our home and "Ponyo" is one of Smalls' favorites. She asks to watch it again and again. The DVD was released when I was pregnant with Smalls so we got the special set that was available at the time that included a plush Ponyo (shown in the image above). Ponyo became Smalls' first plush and she has loved it dearly (and she was overjoyed when I made this simple noodle dish for her!). Pretty much all of Studio Ghibli's films are family friendly, but Ponyo was made particularly with very young children in mind. This can be seen in the crayon/colored pencil-ness of the backgrounds, the animation of the water, the call to our childhood love of prehistoric animals, and the grandious wonder of magic-magic and everyday magic. And the everyday magic, of course, includes food.

Omnitrix Cookies | Ben 10

"It's hero time!" 

( Err, cookie time! )

          Smalls and I have had a lot of fun watching "Ben 10" on Netflix recently so I  had to make something yummy to go along with it! Enter my first real attempt at decorative sugar cookies. The first attempt was sad/laughable (because I decorated them with royal/cookie icing and ended up with a black tongue) but I brainstormed some more and each attempt afterwards got progressively better (5 batches total!). The final product does NOT turn your mouth colors, but it does turn it into a smile 'cause it tastes so good!

          "Ben 10" is an awesome science fiction cartoon on Cartoon Network that is currently in its fourth series (yes, series). I haven't seen the most recent incarnation but the original series simply called "Ben 10", the second series "Ben 10: Alien Force", and the third series "Ben 10: Ultimate Alien" are all really good with a ton of action, a lot of humorous writing and dialogue, and great characters. The candy melt image shown on the cookies is the omnitrix symbol found on the omnitrix "watch" that Ben Tennyson wears on his wrist that lets him change into ten different aliens (the aliens change throughout the series) as well as the symbol of the Plumbers, the Green Lantern-type of intergalactic peace keepers/police. The cookies are a representation of the omnitrix in the original series and the two following, with a little bit of the new one thrown in.

Little Food Adventures Diary #2: Upcoming & a Meat Shirt!

          Me and the peeps have been sickies since last week, so my new food post has been slow in the making. It's got to do with sugar cookies though, which is the last post that went up (the basic cut out cookie recipe). I've got several foods waiting in the wings (pictures below as proof) but it's been tough focusing on writing and editing photos, etc. being sick and with a sick Smalls. But expect a post tomorrow or Friday and more next week!

          While sick I did draw a large piece of meat, reminiscent of the monster meat from the "Monster Hunter" games, and put it on a shirt, etc. "Soo tasty!" (click the image below to go to my shop). At first I thought of it as a Father's Day present for B (because I'm making something MH related for him for dinner that day) but then I thought, "wait, I don't think I want to advertise my husband as a hunk of tasty meat." And I think it would make B blush to wear it in public, sooo, I present it to YOU, who may have no shame. (Honestly, if I found a cute skirt to match and was in a sassy mood, I'd totally wear it. It makes me laugh.)